


Gwaine's Wedding

by rachelautumn



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-31
Updated: 2013-05-31
Packaged: 2017-12-13 12:10:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/824165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rachelautumn/pseuds/rachelautumn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur takes a few minutes out from Gwaine's wedding to compliment the groom.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gwaine's Wedding

**Author's Note:**

> This was what I imagined Gwaine's wedding to be like from the story, "Family, Friends and Feckin' Idiots" by Tambear, who was kind enough to give me permission to dip into her world. I think I didn't quite make it there, but if any one else enjoyed her Arthur/Gwaine they might enjoy this.

Arthur takes a few minutes out from Elana and Gwaine's wedding to compliment the groom.

 

Leave it to Gwaine to get married in a wine cellar. Arthur looked around at the cavernous space for evidence of dank debauchery or even alcohol storage, but everything was whitewashed and bright. It was pretty nice actually. He liked the way the fairy lights lit up the vaulted ceilings. It was goofy but also a little magical just like Elena and Gwaine themselves.  
"So no need to worry then?" Merlin was rolling his eyes, self-righteous git. He'd heard an earful about how stupid it was to hold a wedding in your basement,even if said basement was under a rather impressive Abbey, and now he was gloating. "Admit it. The place is perfect"

Arthur sighed. "I guess I'm not embarrassed to be the best man at this event, after all." He waved his hand at the bar and smart guests,"Though I still don't see why they couldn't have just had it in the gallery; it's nice enough"

  
"I keep forgetting you've been here before." Merlin looked around, eyes a little wide, gloating expression fading into something else. Arthur recognized the lost look. Every once in a while, Merlin remembered that he had been growing up in a cow town in Whales while his friends were...well places like this. Arthur didn't like the lost look one bit. He draped himself over his boyfriend like a large blond blanket and breathed in his ear.

  
"This is the first time I'm here with you. That's all that counts"

Merlin's body relaxed , but all he said was, "Hm I''m sure" Not nearly the reaction Arthur was going for. He moved one hand down to cup one hand around the swell of Merlin's arse and kissed the long neck that always drove him crazy

  
"Have I told you how sexy you are in that suit"

  
"Yeah, when you bought it for me, right after you burned the other one" Merlin rolled his eyes again, but Arthur could tell he felt better. Mission accomplished

An anonymous servitor person came and divested them of their coats. Arthur shrugged his off but of course Merlin started. Looking behind him as if expecting to be attacked, he whispered, "i didn't even know Gwaine came from this kind of money. he could have mentioned that he, I don't know, owned a county in Ireland when he was whinging about the rent."

  
Arthur shook his head, " A county in Ireland is more trouble than it's worth. Believe me, I do Gwaine's taxes"

  
"That's funny, he told me the guy who does his taxes is a pompous twat."

"Ha ha" Arthur smacked Merlin lightly on the backside. "He just says that because I have to sneak into his apartment to get his receipts."

  
Merlin shook an admonishing finger. "He says you walked over his sleeping body and you stepped on Elena's hair"

  
"Well he wouldn't open the door and he keeps everything in his bedroom."

  
Merlin's cheeky grin was back. "Sounds like Gwaine all right. If I even know him anymore. Seriously Arthur, this is someone's ancestral seat. Gwaine owes me an explanation. And 5 years of tenner loans. Hypocritical knob."

Arthur snorted. He'd been waiting years for Gwaine's background to catch up with him. "Yeah, our Gwaine likes to keep all that dark. That way I'm stuck acting the entitled prick. Always did that at uni when we were picking up girls...his voice trailed off. He and Gwaine had pulled a lot of girls together, Gwaine playing the bad boy and him the rich one with entree. Often they'd shared a room or switched off, if the girls didn't mind.

  
"I suppose I don't want to know what you two got up to here." Merlin's tone was light, but Arthur knew he noticed the flush in Arthur's cheeks.

  
"No you really don't," he said outloud. Unbidden memory answered "Whiskey. We drank a lot of whiskey but Gwaine's mouth always tasted of beer and pussy." Arthur shook his head to clear it. He didn't think about those days much, hadn't really since Gwen. Time to change the subject.

"Come on Merlin." He grabbed long tapered fingers and pulled, maybe a little harder than necessary. "Let's find out what's to eat if there's anything left after you made us late."

All of the other guests were already in full party mode, tucked into mysterious alcoves, or shining under the shattered light of 10 disco balls. Soon Arthur was having a good time, even dancing a little. He was getting into the spirit, laughing as Merlin attempted to sway to the slightly distorted music. Then some obscene Prince Song came on. It was a special favorite of Merlin and Elena's and Arthur found himself relinquishing his boyfriend to the bride as they both squealed with joy, rushing into the middle of the floor flinging and stomping and generally making idiots of themselves. Watching them Arthur felt his heart fill with almost painful joy.

  
He felt an icy hand reach for his wrist. Only one person he knew had a grip like that. " Yes"Morgana?" he asked without turning around. He wasn't going to let his sister spoil this.

  
"If Merlin tears that train before the ceremony, "I'm holding you personally responsible." she hissed in his ear.  
Arthur turned around and gave Morgana his patented glare. She looked good in some purple shade no one had any right to look good in. "You're the Maid of Honor. Why did you let her wear something longer than her dress? This is Elena were talking about. You could have talked her into a mini skirt. Or a football jersey for that matter"

  
"I'm thinking of posterity." Arthur looked at her quizzickly, "It will look better in the photos" She pinched his cheek. "I really want to remember it, OK?" Was that a tear in her eye? Arthur was opening his mouth to say something much nicer than usual when he saw he had lost her attention. Morgana was narrowing assessing eyes at the bride. She sighed. "I'd better go over there and have a swipe at her face. I wish I didn't have to keep track of this. I mean who has the ceremony in the middle of the party? I don't suppose as best man you could get Gwaine to just do it now, get it over with?'

  
Arthur shook his head. Gwaine had been adamant he wanted the ceremony at Midnight on the dance floor. "Sorry Morgs, I lack your powers of persuasion"

  
She snorted. "No kidding" Arthur was about to protest this aspersion on his character when he saw Merlin twirl Elena into a pillar. There was a decided ripping sound. Morgana grimaced. "Tell Gwaine it's midnight now," she yelled over her shoulder.  
Arthur scanned the crowd for the groom. Gwaine would undoubtedly forgive him before Morgana would and he never wore a watch. Maybe he wouldn't notice it was only 10:30. Where was Gwaine anyway? Arthur frowned, not bothering to look anymore. The fact was if Gwaine wasn't noticable then he wasn't there. If you didn't hear his boisterous laugh, chances were he didn't want to be seen.

Well that suggested some possiblilities. Only part of the Abby was inhabited. To save money, the other wings of the place were closed. The doors were locked, but there was a lovely terrace that wrapped around the upper story, which a daring person could access if he didn't mind walking over the roof. Gwaine used to drag girls up there if he wanted to avoid the hassle of meeting people they knew. He had shagged Gwaine more than once there himself when they were younger, confident that Gwaine's Dad would never look for them on the roof. But surely even Gwaine wouldn't be up to that kind of thing on his wedding night.

 

Arthur found him there, on the same little veranda. In the morning the spot would command a beautiful view of the valley below. Right now the world was almost black, just enough light leaking from the other side of the Abbey to reveal that something was moving out there. Then the glow of a lighter lit up Gwaine's face for a moment. He was alone. Arthur let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding and climbed over the roof to the balcony, wincing as his Italian loafers scraped over the tiles.

  
"There you are mate, thought you'd done a bunk"

  
Gwaine grinned and shook his head, "Sneaking a fag"

  
"Didn't you promise, Elena you were giving it up?" Arthur was standing next to him now looking him in the eye, waiting for the whatever it was Gwaine was going to confess. No one walked across a roof just to smoke.

  
Gwaine's voice sounded good, though, a warm chuckle. "Nah Ellie's not like that. Was that bugger Merlin made me give them up"

  
"Tell me you're not afraid of Merlin?" Arthur leaned into the railing feeling it take his weight,

  
"Aren't you?" Gwaine said. Arthur thought about that for a moment. He enjoyed annoying Merlin, but he did not court his serious displeasure. Imagining the dissappointment on Merlin's face if he found out Arthur wasn't who he'd thought made him sick.

  
"Yeah but I'm in love with him."

  
Gwaine shrugged. "All right, it's for Ellie. Don't tell her. "

  
"Don't tell her you're doing it for her or don't tell her you fucked up."

  
"Both." Gwaine smiled big now; his teeth looked white this close up. As Arthur's eyes adjusted to the light he could see his friend's wistful face, his strong slender hands clasping the railing, lightly, under the French cuffs. He remembered the last time he had seen Gwaine there, drunk as usual, fucking Arthur over the edge, neither of them caring much if they fell. Things were different now, good different.

  
With one quick swipe, Arthur snatched the cigarette and flung it off the Veranda. He smirked at Gwaine.

  
"What the Fuck, Arthur. That was my last fag, Give a man a break".

  
Arthur shook his head sternly. "Nope got to start as you mean to go on, mate, Besides she'll catch you out when you kiss the bride."

  
"Yeah". Gwaine sighed softly looking down the two stories his cigarette had fallen. "God we used to do some stupid shite,"he said. Arthur didn't ask what. They both remembered.

  
Arthur looked him in the eyes again, taking in his friend's generous mouth, the tendrils of hair escaping from the ponytail he'd tamed it with for the occasion. He felt something tighten in his chest. It wasn't that he was in love with Gwaine or ever had been, even. It was more like they'd been in the trenches together, done things other people wouldn't understand. And now it was time to return to civilian life. He breathed out into the night air and felt as if was exhaling his own past.

" Elena's downstairs you know," he said. "Dancing with Merlin. She looks so beautiful in that dress, Morgana's going to kill me if it's in shreds before the photos."

  
Gwaine turned away. When he spoke he sounded tired. "She didn't want to wear that thing, anyway; Morgana made her. It's not really her you know? But everyone keeps telling me how beautiful she looks." Gwaine frowned suddenly. Arthur found it unpleasant. Gwaine never frowned.

  
"Hey" He reached out a hand and placed it on Gwaine's. God he looked good, slender and broad shouldered in his formal suit. "Anybody tell you how beautiful you look yet?" Gwaine turned to him, frown gone in an instant. He flashed his mischievous grin, the one that always pulled

  
"Just you, Arthur. You going to steal me away on my wedding night?"

  
Arthur didn't answer, just stepped forward and cupped Gwaine's face in his hands, Gwaine's escaping hair falling over his knuckles. He kissed each eye lid once. as Gwaine's hands fell lightly to his hips. In his mind he said. ' Thank you I love you you're beautiful,' all words he did not say out loud because saying them would make them weigh the wrong way. And those things had always been light between them

  
When he stepped back, Gwaine came with him, hands still on Arthur, eyes up, silent. His face looked open and yet strangely fierce. He'd seen that look before, the night Arthur had come to him for help, the night he found Lance in bed with Gwen. Arthur had choked out "I found Lance with Gwen" and Gwaine had turned to him with that same look in his brown eyes, while he took off Arthur's clothes and held him shuddering in his arms.

  
As free as Gwaine was with his affections, Arthur was pretty sure no one else had ever seen that look other than him. It was a window into the bone deep, unconditional generosity that was Gwaine's. A lot of people thought he was a slag and a goof-off and he was those things, but they were side effects of the other thing about him. Arthur wasn't sure what to call it except maybe it had something to do with saying, "Yes", when everyone else said "No". There was nobody like Gwaine really, well except that there was it turned out. Elena. She was a "yes" person, too.

A surge of affection surged through his body, for his spastic, beautiful friends. This time he knew what to say; that was the point of a wedding, after all, to say these things

  
"She is so good for you, Gwaine. Come downstairs and let the rest of us share that a little, complete with dress and tux or what's left of them by now, yeah?"

There was a pause, then Gwaine's lips pressed Arthur's. It was a good kiss, pleasure seeking, warm, but short with a distinct beginning and end. Arthur just had time to note that Gwaine still tasted like sex and beer and it was over

  
"Yeah OK. " Gwaine said," I can still get pissed, though, right?"

  
Arthur shook his head. "Is that why you insisted on the wine cellar? No don't answer that.. I tell you what, why don't we go ahead with the ceremony now and then you can get started. "

  
Gwaine threw his head back and laughed. "Sounds like a plan."


End file.
